


like you would do for one you love

by mae-mil (maevemil)



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Bad Matchmaking, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Martin/Tim focus, Matchmaking, Multi, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 13:24:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20210482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maevemil/pseuds/mae-mil
Summary: Tim has had enough of Martin's pining over Jon and takes it upon himself to help. Despite Martin's protests he "helps" him, with no intention of regretting it as much as he does. He's not jealous, just done with it all. Right?(Written for the RQBB, art byOctpodians)





	like you would do for one you love

**Author's Note:**

> (Chapters 2 & 3 will be posted within the next two weeks)

Sasha, have you finished getting those emails for me? I'd like to be done with this statement sometime within the next year.” 

Tim leaned backwards in his chair, tilting his head to face Sasha behind him.

“_ No _ Tim,” she glared at him pointedly “I've been busy with my _ own _ work. You know, what I'm _ supposed _to be doing.”

He sighed, turning around to face her directly.

“Come on Sash, you’re the one who’s good with computers, and I can’t finish this up without them.” 

She rolled her eyes.

“I’ll get it to you tomorrow, alright?”

“See, _ this _ is why we’re friends.”

“Oh, because I _ do _things for you?” She scolded sarcastically “Thanks Tim.” 

He laughed.

“_ Exactly _ . Thank _ you _”

He spun back around to his computer, noticing Martin across from him, who was watching them talk. He grinned over, and Martin rolled his eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Shouldn’t _ you _?” Martin replied.

“_ Touché _” he gave in. “You having any more luck with finding those statements Jon asked you for the other day?”

Martin shrugged.

“I tried to get them, to him yesterday, but he was still recording so I just left it there. He still hasn’t gotten back to me, but it’s alright. I’d rather make sure he doesn’t stay so late again because he was looking it over.”

Tim rolled his eyes. “Oh, give it a rest. He’s a grown man Martin. If he wants to slowly kill himself, let him, he doesn’t need your doting.”

“I- I don’t know what you-”

Sasha turned back around to frown at the both of them.

“Why don’t we _ stop _ this pointless bickering and actually getting some _ work _done?”

They both glared at her, but she just shrugged them off and returned to ignoring them.

Tim was about to return to their argument, when Jon left his office, interrupting him before he could begin.

“Martin.” Jon ignored their conversation entirely, focusing instead on Martin.

“You need something, Jon?”

“Martin, I asked you to get those statements to me _yesterday._ _Where _are they?”

“I put it on your desk yesterday?”

Jon frowned back into his office for a moment before turning back to glare at Martin. 

“Well, why didn’t you just give them _ directly to _me?”

Martin shrugged apologetically, “I tried to, but you were busy recording a statement...”

“Well at least come help me find it then.” He moved back into the office.

Martin smiled apologetically at the two of them, shrugging as he followed Jon into the office.

Tim groaned at the scene in front of them, catching Sasha’s eye as he did, and frowning at the knowing look she was giving him.

“What?”

“Nothing.” she turned away quickly, “You just seem pretty upset…”

“Jon’s just such a dick to him for no reason sometimes.” he grimaced and turned back to the desk.

“Yeah?” He could hear the smirk in her voice. “_ That’s _ why you’re so bothered? He’s a grown man Tim, if he wants to _ dote _let him.” 

He refused to turn back to face her.

“What does _ that _mean?”

“Nothing…”

“Come on Sash I just think he should get over this. He’s so smitten, fawning over him all the time. I don’t know why he puts up with this shit.”

“Well, you aren’t helping him any by _ also _ being a dick to him. Maybe you should try being kinder to someone you call your friend at some point.” He peeked over, to see her turning back to her own desk.

“I_ am _ kind to him.”

“Sure, Tim.”

“I-” He was interrupted by Martin’s re-entry into the room.

“Sorry about that… Guess it got lost in the other papers on his desk.” he smiled tightly at the two of them.

Tim scowled, but caught himself at the memory of Sasha’s smirk in response to his earlier reaction and paused, clearing his face and continuing to listen. 

“Yeah?” 

“I was right though.” he sighed. “He hasn’t been sleeping.”

God not this _ again _.

Tim was saved from accidentally voicing his frustrations by Sasha chiming in inquisitively

“You sure? There’s not really any way to tell...”

“Other than how he _ looks? _” Tim mumbled to himself.

Martin didn’t comment, either ignoring him or not hearing him at all.

“He’s been very… touchy today...”

It took all of Tim’s strength not to comment on how “touchy” he was _ every _day, but apparently, it wasn’t enough.

“Tim?” Martin looked over to where he was gritting his teeth against any more snarky comments. “You want to say something?”

“Nothing...” 

Sasha quietly pushed her chair further back, removing herself slowly from the conversation. Martin frowned at him.

“Not this again…”

“Not what? I said _ nothing _...:”

Martin sighed. “Come on Tim, ”

Sasha leaned in “He’s not wrong...”

“Shut up Sasha.” She leaned back, raising her hands defensively in response. “You two are ganging up on me.” 

“It’s like this _ every _ time I bring up Jon, come _ on. _” 

“I am not! I just...”

The two of them level entirely disbelieving stares at him.

“Look, I- can _ sometimes _ be a bit of a dick about this stuff, ” Sasha scoffed, and Martin seemed to feel the same.

“Really?” Sasha chided “You don’t say? Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Oh come on, I’m not _ that _bad…”

Martin stared back at him in disbelief.

“I- I’m fine about it sometimes…”

“When? When have you ever been ‘not that bad’?”

“How about… how about right now?”

“What?”

“I’ll- I’ll help you out with this alright?”

“Wai- What?”

“I can be supportive! I’ll help you with your whole… crush.”

“I- no, I-”

“What?” Sasha interjected. “Come on Martin, thought you wanted him to be nicer?”

“Yeah Martin, I thought you wanted me to be _ nicer. _”

“Well yeah, but I don’t actually-”

“What? Are you trying to deny your _ very _ obvious crush right now?”

“I was _ just _saying you should be nicer to Jon, this is…”

“What, like this, _ wouldn’t _result in that as well?”

“I don’t know but-”

“Come on Martin, what’s the harm?”

He shot Tim a disbelieving look. “Tim, you _ know _what the harm would be.”

“Oh, come _ on, _” he groaned “Is it really such a huge deal?”

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t be _ so _bad…”

“Yes!” Tim cheered, ignoring Martin’s irritated look. Work could be boring and hey, like he said, what could really be the harm?

* * *

“I don’t really know if this is such a good idea, Tim...”

“What, because you’ve never talked to _ Jon _ before? Come on just…Try asking him to lunch or something. It’s _ easy. _”

Martin scowls at Tim, shaking his head forcefully.

“Just _ try. _” he pushes him forward slightly, “Come on.”

Martin shuffled forward slightly, still frowning, but beginning to move.

Martin flushed, trying his best to act casual as he made his way over to Jon, who was making notes in a book he’d been reading all morning.

“Um… Hey, Jon?” Martin stumbled over his words, waiting nervously for Jon to look up from his book, and avoiding eye contact. 

“Do you need something, Martin?” Jon asked, keeping his attention almost completely on the book in front of him. 

“Well, I was wondering if you- if you were doing anything for lunch today?”

He finally looked up, frowning at him. “Of course?”

Martin blushed, “Uh, no, I meant- Did you- Did you want to go _ get _some lunch? Like… together?”

“I already have lunch, Martin. I’m fine.”

“Yes, well... How about tomorrow?”

“I’d rather not. I’m perfectly satisfied eating in my office.”

“Are you sure, because-”

“Martin. If that’s all you needed me for I’d appreciate it if you would let me work.” 

Tim couldn’t see Martin’s face, but he could see the pointed look Jon was giving him and flinched.

“Alright, I’ll just… I’ll just go...”

Martin’s back was to him, but Tim could hear the dejection in his voice.

He made his way back to Tim, and his desk.

“Told you it wouldn’t work,” he said with a despondent sigh, sitting back down

Tim sighed, frustrated at how Jon kept treating Martin, and at how badly Martin was treating _ himself. _ He hadn’t exactly been trying his _ best _ per se _ , _ but it might not be the end of the world if he _ did. _

Martin hadn’t really wanted to continue. He’d decided (without Tim) that one try was enough, and had tried his best to convince Tim of it too, but now Tim was invested, and he wasn’t about to let Martin talk him out of it because of _ one _screw up.

“Alright, so I’ve had a couple of days and I’ve got something else for us to try.”

“Seriously Tim? I thought we’d decided to drop this?”

“_ You’ve _ decided Martin. But I, being the great friend I am, have _ decided _to ignore that. You’re moping, we’re trying something else.”

“I’m not-”

“What about a- something like a makeover?”

“Gee, thanks Tim, way to make a guy feel good about himself.” 

“I- That’s not what I _ meant. _A _small _ thing.” 

“It’s fine, I get it… I’m-”

“Oh come on Martin, you don’t seriously think you’re not attractive?” 

Martin went red.

“Tim, don’t act like-”

“What, with the freckles and everything? It’s- it’s cute, come on!”

“I-”

“Jon _ has _ to see it. We’ve just got to… make him _ notice _.”

“I- I’m not sure...” He grimaced, crinkling up his nose in a way that made Tim wonder_ how on earth _ he couldn’t tell how good he looked sometimes.

“Let’s, just try it, and you can see after.” He grinned “_Please _?”

“Okay, I guess we can…”

“Great!” he turned back to his desk, opening the bottom drawer “I brought some stuff this morning.” 

“What?”

“Well, I mean, I knew we were going to do this, of course, I brought some stuff.”

“Oh…_ Okay _…”

“Here.” He handed over the shirt he’d been keeping in his desk all morning. “Try this on.”

“What? Why?”

“No more of those… sweaters.”

Martin frowned at his obvious pause.

“What’s wrong with what I-”

“Just go try it on.”

“Um… _ here _?”

Tim shrugged, gesturing to the office washroom. “Over there then, but_ hurry up _.”

“_ Alright. _” he headed off, and came back with the shirt on, 

“I don’t really see the point of this Tim...”

“The point is you look _ nice. _You’re just trying something new, it’s not such a big deal Martin.”

He sighed and gestured towards the bag that was still in Tim’s hand.

“Well, what else is in there?”

“Oh, there’s really just this left.” he pulled the eyeliner pencil from the bag and handed it to Martin who gave it a small frown.

“Really?” 

“Didn’t we agree you’d _ try _?”

Martin rolled his eyes but didn’t return it.

“I- uh… Okay, but I don’t really know how to put this on?” 

“Seriously? Alright, come here then.” Tim waited for Martin to sit back down, before pulling his chair closer, and taking back the pencil he still had in his hand. “Close your eyes.”

“Oh, okay…” He listened, closing them and leaning forward so Tim could reach easier. 

“Alright now hold still...” He placed one hand on the side of Martin’s face to keep his face from moving, and began to apply the liner. He tried his best to hold his breath, his face was so close to Martin’s and he didn’t want to tickle him with his breathing. 

He finished the second eye, Martin’s eyelids flickering slightly as he did, and leaned back to admire his work. 

“Are you done?” He opened his eyes slightly.

“Yes Martin. You can open your eyes now.”

As he did, Tim had the sudden realization of just how closely they were sitting. Faces almost touching, Tim couldn't help but notice just how well he had done...

“You- your eyes look nice...”

Martin blushed.

“I- thanks… I guess I'm stuck with this for the rest of the day.”

“Uh… Yes, I guess so. I- Well… we should probably get back to work now.” He quickly turned back to his desk, returning the pencil and bag to their drawer.

“Alright, I’ll- I’ll give you this shirt back tomorrow?”

“Sure? Whenever, but just… end of the day at least, remember.”

Martin nodded.

“Tim?” Sasha waved her hand in front of his face.

“Wha- Yeah?” He turned quickly to make eye contact with her. “You need anything?”

“I need _ you _ to stop _ staring _at Martin, and help me out with this.”

“I- I wasn’t _ staring. _” He frowned.

“Sure Tim. I’m pretty sure the only person that wouldn’t notice your staring the _ minute _ they enter the room is _ Martin _right now.”

“So what did you need my help with?” 

Sasha rolled her eyes.

“I’m only letting you change the subject because this is important, but you _ were _ staring.”

Tim _ knew _ he was staring… But Martin’s eyes _ did _ look really nice like that, and it wasn’t like _ Jon _was paying attention. He was getting work done! It was just… taking a bit longer than normal.

Martin, thank god, hadn’t noticed, and was working diligently as usual. This wasn't helping _ Tim _much, because he was just as distracted by the way Martin’s face scrunched up when he was concentrating on his work as by anything else right now.

But of course, Jon, ever oblivious, didn’t even notice, and Tim’s second chance was counted as a loss.

“Tim, this all really feels pointless… 

“Oh don’t be a spoilsport Martin, it's _ fun _.”

“Maybe it has been for _ you, _ but it's only really been humiliating for _ me _.”

“That's a bit overdramatic there Martin.”

“Yes well… Could you at least take a break from whatever this whole… _ thing _is?”

“Fine, but you're coming out to get drinks with me tonight. We've got to cheer you up.”

Martin sighed, “Sure. Why not?”

“Hey Sasha!” Tim called back into the breakroom where he'd last seen her, “We’re going out for drinks, you coming?”

She poked her head out into the hall to level an honestly terrifying glare at him.

“We _ do _ all have work tomorrow _ Tim _ .” She moved her glare to Martin, who was standing beside him, and her gaze softened slightly. “ _ Martin? _Seriously?”

He shrugged and shuffled slightly on the spot.

“Yes, well...”

Tim shook her off and sighed, “It’s just a drink, Sasha, we’ll both be _ fine _ for work tomorrow.”

“Sure,” she rolled her eyes, directing her disbelief almost entirely at Tim. “Just a drink… Well… Have fun you two.”


End file.
